


Love Me Anyway

by FrazzledSquidz



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Character Study, Declarations Of Love, Domestic Fluff, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 06:04:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8521300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrazzledSquidz/pseuds/FrazzledSquidz
Summary: Jesper was kind of a shitshow for a boyfriend.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration and title taken from The Mowgli's.

Jesper was kind of a shitshow for a boyfriend, Wylan thought fondly as he stared across the room at his lover, who was reading out some business plan that he honestly had no interest in. 

Jesper was kind and thoughtful, of course, and endlessly patient helping Wylan run the Van Eck empire. But he was also forgetful, erratic, and often had trouble taking things seriously. He worked with the Grisha tutor sporadically, often swinging between extreme reluctance and careful optimism. He would engage easily with her for a few weeks, then suddenly flee as soon as she showed up the following day. Jesper would make a stupid play with the markets, bleach all the color out of a room, and then be forced to set it back to rights with the Grisha the next time he met with her. He would be embarrassed and swear to never do anything like it again… until he did. 

He also had trouble keeping his thoughts to himself during merch meetings, especially with the Council, and occasionally accused Wylan of not thinking outside his “narrow merch world.” Jesper would openly mock merchants to their faces or as he read their plans to Wylan (though, to his credit, he never changed what he was reading no matter how much he detested the content). He was obstinate, frustrating, and often lackadaisical even while overflowing with restless energy. 

However. 

He also made time, every single day, to visit with Wylan’s mother. If it was a bad day sometimes he just read to her, or sat around and talked about whatever came to mind. Other times he listened to her play music, quietly watched her paint, or would take her for walks around the gardens. As Marya improved, Jesper started accompanying her into town for short trips, helping her get reacquainted with Kerch. He was only ever kind and patient with her, taking care to compliment her returning color, tell her entertaining (sometimes not entirely true) stories about Wylan, or remark favorably on her artistic skills.

Whenever Wylan was able to sit with her, and he tried every day as well, Marya always had good things to say about “that thin Zemeni boy”, and Wylan could only agree with her analysis. Because he was also all of those things with Wylan. He never complained about the boring business deals he had to read, never balked when Wylan asked him to write correspondence. If Jesper didn’t understand something, he would ask Wylan to explain it to him so he could be as helpful as possible.

He point-blank refused to let Wylan talk down about himself when he got frustrated with his inability to read or became stumped by a business venture. Jesper always took the time to make sure Wylan felt appreciated, felt good enough, felt brilliant. Even though he teased him, it only helped to mellow and balance Wylan out. 

Wylan tried to do the same for Jesper whenever he got too wild or skittish, whenever he got spooked about his powers or bitter with himself. Wylan took care to only ever say positive things about Jesper’s abilities (even when he bleached a room, which was honestly so annoying) and encourage him to keep working and promise him that he was safe at the Van Eck estate.

Wylan knew when Jesper was itching a gambling den, or a fight, and that the best way to distract him was with sex (which was insanely fun for Wylan, too) or with the firing range they’d built behind the gardens, near the water. Other than a few purposefully foolish plays on the market, Jepser had been good about distracting himself when the craving was threatening to overwhelm him. He was getting better, despite himself. 

“Wylan!”

He snapped out of his musings, looking blankly over at Jesper. 

“Are you even listening to me?” The Zemeni boy waved a stack of papers at him. 

“I love you,” Wylan blurted, feeling his face go bright red the instant the words left his mouth. 

Jesper blinked. “Well, I love you, too, but not if I have to repeat Mr. Dumbass’s, I mean Mr. Dumgat’s, inane babble too many times.” 

“W-what?” he stuttered, feeling like he’d missed something. “No, I _love_ you, Jes.”

“Wylan.” His perfect lips parted in a grin as Jesper stood up, walking over to him, too. “I love you, too, but Dumgat is literally trying to shut down all the gambling dens because he thinks people will funnel their money into merchandise if they can’t waste it at the tables.”

Wylan’s head reeled back. “Dumgat wants to _what?_ ”

“I knew you weren’t paying attention!” Jesper crowed in triumph, tossing the papers behind him as he crawled into Wylan’s lap, settling his bony butt down on his thighs comfortably. “So you were not-listening to me read that moron’s plan and you decided you love me?”

Wylan gave him a sardonic look. “I wasn’t listening to you because I was too busy _thinking_ about you.” 

“About how good I am in bed?”

He pinched his thin hip. “About how you’re kind of a disaster but also how genuinely kind you are. How you always make time for me and for my mom and how much that means to me. How much I li-love having you around.”

Jesper smiled innocently. “Even when I bleach a room?”

“Okay, a little less when you do that.”

He laughed, his long hands cupping Wylan’s burning face gently as he drew their lips together. “Well you’re a _little_ spoiled…”

“Hey now-”

“But you are also very understanding when I’m being crazy and thoughtless.” Jesper kissed him again. “And you know how to get me out of my head when I’m too far gone.” And again. “And you keep my sexy ass around even though I’m obviously not suited for this life.”

Wylan frowned vaguely. “Yes you are.”

Jesper shook his head. “I’m really not. But, apparently, I am well-suited for you.” He kissed him again, this time long and searing. “So I guess I’ll stay.”

Wylan stared up into his clear gray eyes, a dangerous, delicious kind of hope bubbling up in his chest. “You love me?”

He grinned. “Yes.”

“Really?”

“Saints _yes_ , Wylan!” he laughed, kissing him again. “How could I not?”

Wylan had a million answers for that. How about because he couldn’t read, he was absolutely spoiled, he had very little street-smarts, he was too trusting even after everything, too idealistic, and was terribly selfish when it came to Jesper? He opened his mouth to relay this, but Jesper used the opportunity to stick his tongue down Wylan’s throat instead. 

Several long, dizzying minutes later, they parted again. “And you?” Jesper asked, panting.

Wylan blinked, having completely lost track of the conversation. “Me what?”

Jesper grinned, but Wylan could see the anxiety lingering at the edge of his smile. “You love me? And my thieving, violent, loud-mouthed ways?”

Wylan looked up at him, feeling like a star was coming alight inside his chest. He pulled Jesper down so he could whisper against his lips, “ _Yes._ ”


End file.
